The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-10
A REMARKABLE PERFORMANCES.
An Extraordinary watch-Night scrv.
ice Held in England.

fee Held in England.
A correspondent of The London
Ne,cs writes: Undoubtedly one of the
most extraordinary watch-night serv-
ices known in the history of the church
was that held on New Years eve in
connection with the Church of the
Ascension. Lavender hill. Members of
The congregation only were invited. aad
admission was by ticket. Watch was
kept that reporters should be excluded
but several considers" managed to be
present. and subioined is a short de-
scription of the proceedings by one of
The latter. The so-called service was
not held in the church itself, but in
large hall adjoining it. The hall pre-
sented purely theatrical aspect. The
platform was fitted up as stage, with
the usual footlights and drop-curtain
A pianist and choir composed of
ladies and gentlemen were at one side
Of the stage, hidden by screen
Immediately preceding the commence
ment of the service the vicar of the
in the course of few remarks,
mentioned that it would consist Of q
series of sacred tableaux, " represcn.
tative of the Fall of Man." the
promised Seed and the Nativity
The first scene was striking and Won
lerful one The curtain rose to reveal
in plenty oriental plants and flowers
and n beautifully depicted background
representing the Garden of Eden.
Adam and Eve, with skin coverings,
appeared on the right, despondont and
melancholy, while on the left, standing
on rugged ledge of rock, was the
angel, sword in hand, and reckoning
firmly toward the gate. At bell
signal tho curtain dropped amid
the singing of ''But the Lord Is
Mindful of His Own" Some
Instrumental music followed, after which
the vicar quoted passages from Genesis
descriptive Of the birth of Ishmael, the
promise to Abraham of son. and the
birth of Isaac. To this scene the music
consisted of two verses of the one hun
dredth hymn The third tableau show
ed the reward of Abraham's obedience.
In front of an altar composed of rough
stone stood Abraham holding Isaac by
the shoulder, as If in the act of Staying
him. In the rear stood an angle with
the command, Touch not the lad"
In the fourth scene Isaiah stood before
King Ahaz ''by the end of the conduit
of the upper pool" 1t also delneated
the refusal of the king to ask Il sign,
and pictured the prophecy. Behold n
virgin shall conceive and bear son,
and shall call his name lmmanuel."
The scene, as told in scripture, was care
fully presented. In the fifth tableau
there was represented the vision of Dan
icl. and the angel Gabriel's appearance
to him. In the sixth tableau there was
shown the appearance in the temple OF
the angel Gabriel intimating to Zacha-
rias the priest of the 'order of Alba"
the birth of his son, John the Baptist
The seventh scene represented, kneel-
ing to the angel Gabriel the Virgin
Mary, with the annunciation of the
birth of the promised Savior. In the
next scene was shown the visitation OF
the Virgin 10 her cousin Elizabeth. pre-
vious TO the birth of John the Baptist.
The last tableau exhibited the ''Nativi-
ty," and the elaboration of the Magi."
The babe lay in a rough manger, be-
hind which sat the Virgin Mother adj
miring the child. Another selection Of
music brought this most remarkable
performance to conclusion. The stage
fittings were elaborate and the costumes
Of the actors and actresses were really
gorgeous. The cost must have been
very great.
The Breakfast in Society.